Patients at Goole hospital are benefiting from a new therapy chair thanks to a fundraising walk which raised nearly £3,000.
Tony Lister, 50, from Grimsby, organised a three-mile sponsored walk in 2023 from the Cleethorpes pier to the leisure centre to raise funds for the Neuro Rehabilitation Centre (NRC). He spent time on the NRC after suffering a stroke in 2021.
The walk, where Tony was accompanied by his wife Emma, family and friends, raised more than £2,800. Their goal was to raise funds for a specialist MOTOmed exercise chair, which will improve mobility for patients.
Emma, 50, said: “Tony used a chair and a quad stick to complete the walk. He’s now down to a single walking aid. He wanted to give something back to the NRC, as the staff were so fantastic, so decided to do the fundraising walk along Cleethorpes seafront.
“We were delighted with how much money was raised and the support we received from everyone. We’re so pleased this chair will be able to help patients who are going through a similar experience.”
Tony’s chances of surviving brain surgery were so slim that his two children had to say goodbye to him. He was given a 50/50 chance of survival after a stroke at his home. He was taken to Scunthorpe General Hospital, but took a turn for the worse due to swelling on his brain, and was transferred to Hull Royal Infirmary.
Emma was told he would need a craniotomy, an operation that opens the skull to expose the brain. Doctors told her that even if he did survive, he could end up in a vegetative state or induced coma. Thankfully, Tony survived the surgery, which was carried out on the couple’s 13th wedding anniversary. He was then transferred to the NRC where he spent six months learning how to walk and talk again.
The chair is now being used and the feedback so far has been very positive.
Emily Abba, Senior Physiotherapist on the NRC, said: “This chair is used in tandem with the MOTOmed bike. We use it every day for our patients, as it’s really good for building up strength and endurance. It’s been really well received.
“Patients sit on the chair and it swivels round to enable them to get on the bike safely and easily. They can also use it in conjunction with the bike. It’s a really good bit of kit and expensive, so Tony’s fundraising is really appreciated.”
